Tai Chi in Chinese adults with metabolic syndrome: A pilot randomized controlled trial.
Author: Leung LY1, Chan AW2, Sit JW3, Liu T4, Taylor-Piliae RE5
Affiliation:
1Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau, Est. Repouso No. 35, R/C, Macau. Electronic address: leonaleung@kwnc.edu.mo.
2The Nethersole School of Nursing, 7th Floor, Esther Lee Building, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: aileenchan@cuhk.edu.hk.
3The Nethersole School of Nursing, 7th Floor, Esther Lee Building, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: janet.sit@cuhk.edu.hk.
4The Nethersole School of Nursing, 6th Floor, Esther Lee Building, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: liuting@link.cuhk.edu.hk.
5College of Nursing, The University of Arizona, 1305 N. Martin, PO Box 210203, Tucson, AZ 85721-0203, USA. Electronic address: rtaylor@nursing.arizona.edu.
Conference/Journal: Complement Ther Med.
Date published: 2019 Oct
Other:
Volume ID: 46 , Pages: 54-61 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.07.008. Epub 2019 Jul 22. , Word Count: 305
OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility, acceptability and effects of a 12-week Tai Chi exercise program on cardiometabolic risk factors and quality of life in community-dwelling Chinese adults with metabolic syndrome.
DESIGN: A single blind, pilot randomized controlled trial.
SETTING/LOCATION: A general outpatient clinic of a community-based hospital in Hong Kong.
SUBJECTS: Ethnic Chinese, 18 years and older, who had at least three of the five criteria of metabolic syndrome defined by the National Cholesterol Education- Adult Treatment Panel III.
INTERVENTION: The Tai Chi group attended a 1 -h Tai Chi class, twice a week for 12 weeks, plus 30-minutes home practice three-times per week. The control group maintained their usual daily activities.
OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes were feasibility and acceptability of the Tai Chi intervention. Secondary outcome measures were cardiometabolic risk factors, quality of life, stress and Tai Chi exercise self-efficacy.
RESULTS: Study retention rate was 65% (n = 35). Overall satisfaction of completers with the Tai Chi intervention was 4.5 ± 0.63 (possible range = 1-5). When compared to controls, the Tai Chi group had significantly lower systolic blood pressure (p = 0.037) at 12-weeks. Significant within group changes for the Tai Chi group included lower diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.015), higher fasting blood glucose (p = 0.009), higher waist circumference (females only, p = 0.007), and better perceived mental health (p = 0.046); while controls had significantly higher fasting blood glucose (p = 0.031), and higher waist circumference (females only, p = 0.003).
CONCLUSION: The study intervention was feasible and acceptable for Chinese adults with metabolic syndrome. While not powered to find statistically significant differences, positive and negative changes were observed in some cardiometabolic risk factors and quality of life. Further investigation with a larger sample size and longer study period is needed to explore potential environmental factors that may have influenced the study results.
Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
KEYWORDS: Cardiometabolic risk factors; Metabolic syndrome; Quality of life; Tai Chi
PMID: 31519288 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.07.008
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